While the haze seemed other-worldly, according to the MetService it could become a more frequent occurrence.
The yellow-tinged smog hung over much of the lower South Island until early afternoon
yesterday, and the smell of smoke lingered afterwards.
It followed days of extreme bushfires which have razed much of New South Wales and Victoria.
As of late yesterday afternoon, seven people had died and more were missing.
The fires have been described as some of the worst in Australia’s history, and MetService meteorologist April Clark said it was rare for the effects to be so noticeable in New Zealand.
But it might not stay that way, she said.
If the frequency of major bushfires increased, which climate scientists had predicted would be the case, then smoggy skies like yesterday’s could also happen more often, she said.
The wind direction was supposed to change last night, which meant the majority of the smoke would dissipate by this morning, Ms Clark said.
The fires have also had an impact on Australian expats living in New Zealand’s south.
Dale Wowk, who has lived in Queenstown for the past three years, said his hometown, Batemans Bay in NSW, was cut off by the fires.
"It’s pretty scary stuff," he said.
"It’s hard to watch, because you see all these places where you grew up, and these beaches you’d go to on summer days, and now everything’s on fire.
"It’s good to know my grandparents are safe now because they’ve got a water barrier. But it’s jumped a river before, so if the winds turn ... it’s just a bit of a waiting game"
In Dunedin yesterday, Australian cruise ship passengers Steve Craig and Sarah Bernhardt were exploring the city during a stop by Ovation of the Seas.
"We certainly noticed it was smoggy," Ms Bernhardt said.
"We didn’t know it was our fault."
The pair were from Melbourne, and had been watching the news on board the ship to keep up to date as events unfolded.
No health warnings were issued for Otago or Southland as a result of the smoke.
